US20080163697A1 - Swing speed indicator - Google Patents
Swing speed indicator Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20080163697A1 US20080163697A1 US11/649,101 US64910107A US2008163697A1 US 20080163697 A1 US20080163697 A1 US 20080163697A1 US 64910107 A US64910107 A US 64910107A US 2008163697 A1 US2008163697 A1 US 2008163697A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- speed
- swing
- racquet
- swing speed
- flow meter
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B69/00—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports
- A63B69/38—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports for tennis
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B49/00—Stringed rackets, e.g. for tennis
- A63B49/02—Frames
- A63B49/035—Frames with easily dismountable parts, e.g. heads, shafts or grips
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B60/00—Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
- A63B60/46—Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
- A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
- A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
- A63B71/0622—Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
- A63B2071/0625—Emitting sound, noise or music
- A63B2071/063—Spoken or verbal instructions
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
- A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
- A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
- A63B2071/0658—Position or arrangement of display
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
- A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
- A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
- A63B2071/0658—Position or arrangement of display
- A63B2071/0661—Position or arrangement of display arranged on the user
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
- A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
- A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
- A63B2071/0658—Position or arrangement of display
- A63B2071/0661—Position or arrangement of display arranged on the user
- A63B2071/0663—Position or arrangement of display arranged on the user worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
- A63B2220/30—Speed
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
- A63B2220/30—Speed
- A63B2220/31—Relative speed
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
- A63B2220/80—Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
- A63B2220/83—Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor characterised by the position of the sensor
- A63B2220/833—Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2225/00—Miscellaneous features of sport apparatus, devices or equipment
- A63B2225/50—Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B49/00—Stringed rackets, e.g. for tennis
Definitions
- the present invention provides a user with the swing speed by means of measuring speed of the air moving in the opposite direction of the swinging club, racquet, or bat.
- the invention is intended to be used as a training apparatus for a player to improve swing speed by providing speed feedback.
- the present invention employs at least one mass flow meter (U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,394) either embedded or attached to the racquet, club, or bat to measure maximum airspeed generated during a swing.
- the mass flow meter is a sensor that measures air speed utilizing the thermometric principal.
- the controller (Unpatented) correlates air flow signals from the mass flow meter to swing speed and shows a relative speed value on a display (Unpatented) integrated or attached to the racquet, club, or bat.
- the display can also be strapped onto the player's wrist or clipped onto a clothing item. With the present invention, the swing speed is immediately displayed to the user after each stroke thus allowing the user to vary his/her techniques with instant feedback.
- DRAWING 1 is a simplified diagram of the invention.
- DRAWING 2 depicts a view of a mass flow sensor and speed display integrated into a tennis racquet.
- DRAWING 3 depicts a mass flow sensor that is attached onto a tennis racquet frame while the speed is displayed on a remote screen similar to a wrist watch.
- DRAWING 1 illustrates the method on which the invention operates.
- the controller 6 measures the air speed through the element and determines the racquet, bat or club swing speed and displays the information to the player on the display 5 .
- the controller 6 also stores calibration values and offers user function such as but not limited to; clearing and storing of the air speed.
- DRAWING 2 shows one embodiment of a swing speed indicator integrated into a tennis racquet.
- the mass flow meter 4 is integrated into the tennis racquet frame 1 , located along the axis of the strike zone 3 or parallel to the plane that the ball is struck.
- the mass flow meter 4 measures air speed and the controller 6 converts the value to a swing speed. This value is shown on the display 5 screen integrated into the upper portion of the frame handle 2 .
- the apparatus relates the speed of the swinging racquet to the speed of the passing air through the mass flow meter 4 . The faster the swing, the faster the air speed measured by the mass flow meter 4 .
- the display 5 and controller 6 is integrated into the frame handle 2 .
- DRAWING 3 is another embodiment of the present invention where neither the mass flow meter 4 nor the display 5 are integrated into the tennis racquet.
- the mass flow meter is attached onto the tennis racquet frame 1 rather than being a part of the racquet.
- This embodiment offers the user flexibility in moving the invention from one racquet to another.
- the display 5 is not attached to the racquet and is worn on the player's wrist similar to a watch.
- the controller 6 may be integrated as part of either the mass flow meter 4 or the display 5 . Communication and electrical connection between the mass flow meter 4 , controller 6 , and display 5 can either be through wires or radio frequency. In this embodiment, the communication between the devices is accomplished through radio frequency method.
- the display can provide other means of indicating speed such as a bar graph.
- swing speed feedback can be accomplished by voice or sound feedback from a speaker.
Abstract
In sports such as tennis, golf, and baseball, generating high racquet, club, or bat speed when striking the ball is important in the game. For a tennis player, a higher racquet speed can result in a bigger serve or a bigger ground stroke. For a golfer, a higher club swing speed can result in longer range drive. And for a batter, a faster swing speed can mean a homerun. Proper swing techniques are crucial in generating high ball speed, but lack of speed feedback for a recreational player makes improvement difficult. Without feedback of the ball speed, it is difficult for a player to know if recent improvements in techniques have resulted in faster ball speed. The present invention provides swing speed feedback for players to help them generating higher ball speeds.
Description
- The present invention provides a user with the swing speed by means of measuring speed of the air moving in the opposite direction of the swinging club, racquet, or bat. The invention is intended to be used as a training apparatus for a player to improve swing speed by providing speed feedback.
- The present invention employs at least one mass flow meter (U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,394) either embedded or attached to the racquet, club, or bat to measure maximum airspeed generated during a swing. The mass flow meter is a sensor that measures air speed utilizing the thermometric principal. The controller (Unpatented) correlates air flow signals from the mass flow meter to swing speed and shows a relative speed value on a display (Unpatented) integrated or attached to the racquet, club, or bat. The display can also be strapped onto the player's wrist or clipped onto a clothing item. With the present invention, the swing speed is immediately displayed to the user after each stroke thus allowing the user to vary his/her techniques with instant feedback.
- The most common method of providing ball speed feedback in the sports arena utilizes laser or radar to directly measure the speed of the ball (U.S. Pat. No. 2,626,986). However, this method is costly for the recreational players. Other methods (U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,125 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,596) employ a mechanical system where a mass in a guide (in a bore) is accelerated against a spring during the swing. This mechanical system is complex and moving parts could interfere with the “feel” of the racquet, club, or bat.
- DRAWING 1 is a simplified diagram of the invention. DRAWING 2 depicts a view of a mass flow sensor and speed display integrated into a tennis racquet. DRAWING 3 depicts a mass flow sensor that is attached onto a tennis racquet frame while the speed is displayed on a remote screen similar to a wrist watch.
- DRAWING 1 illustrates the method on which the invention operates. During a swing, air flows through the
mass flow meter 4 that is integrated or attached to a racquet, club, orbat 1. As air flows through themass flow meter 4 element, thecontroller 6 measures the air speed through the element and determines the racquet, bat or club swing speed and displays the information to the player on thedisplay 5. In addition to converting themass flow meter 4 output into swing speed, thecontroller 6 also stores calibration values and offers user function such as but not limited to; clearing and storing of the air speed. - DRAWING 2 shows one embodiment of a swing speed indicator integrated into a tennis racquet. The
mass flow meter 4 is integrated into thetennis racquet frame 1, located along the axis of thestrike zone 3 or parallel to the plane that the ball is struck. During a swing, themass flow meter 4 measures air speed and thecontroller 6 converts the value to a swing speed. This value is shown on thedisplay 5 screen integrated into the upper portion of theframe handle 2. The apparatus relates the speed of the swinging racquet to the speed of the passing air through themass flow meter 4. The faster the swing, the faster the air speed measured by themass flow meter 4. In this embodiment, thedisplay 5 andcontroller 6 is integrated into theframe handle 2. - DRAWING 3 is another embodiment of the present invention where neither the
mass flow meter 4 nor thedisplay 5 are integrated into the tennis racquet. The mass flow meter is attached onto thetennis racquet frame 1 rather than being a part of the racquet. This embodiment offers the user flexibility in moving the invention from one racquet to another. Additionally, thedisplay 5 is not attached to the racquet and is worn on the player's wrist similar to a watch. In this embodiment, thecontroller 6 may be integrated as part of either themass flow meter 4 or thedisplay 5. Communication and electrical connection between themass flow meter 4,controller 6, anddisplay 5 can either be through wires or radio frequency. In this embodiment, the communication between the devices is accomplished through radio frequency method. - Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred configurations thereof, other versions are possible. For example, instead of a numerical value to display speed, the display can provide other means of indicating speed such as a bar graph. Alternatively, swing speed feedback can be accomplished by voice or sound feedback from a speaker.
Claims (5)
1. An apparatus that provide feedback of the swing speed of a racquet, club, or bat by measuring the air speed comprising:
at least one mass flow meter to measure air speed moving in the opposing direction of the swing;
a controller or electrical circuitry to calibrate and convert the mass flow meter output to swing speed as well as to provide relevant user interface (reset, store, clear display);
at least one display to present the user with swing speed.
2. A method of claim 1 , wherein a mass flow meter is used to measure air speed relative to the racquet, bat, or club swing speed.
3. A method of claim 1 , wherein a controller or electronic circuit converts the mass flow meter output into swing speed and provides the information to the user on the display.
4. A method of claim 1 , wherein a display shows the racquet, bat, or club swing speed to the user via a numerical or graphical means.
5. A system for providing player feedback of the racquet, club, or bat swing speed comprising of; at least one mass air flow meter, an electronic circuit or controller, and a display or speaker to provide swing speed feedback to the player.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/649,101 US20080163697A1 (en) | 2007-01-04 | 2007-01-04 | Swing speed indicator |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/649,101 US20080163697A1 (en) | 2007-01-04 | 2007-01-04 | Swing speed indicator |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20080163697A1 true US20080163697A1 (en) | 2008-07-10 |
Family
ID=39593143
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/649,101 Abandoned US20080163697A1 (en) | 2007-01-04 | 2007-01-04 | Swing speed indicator |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20080163697A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20110183787A1 (en) * | 2009-09-25 | 2011-07-28 | Ralf Schwenger | Methods and apparatuses for enhancing performance in racket sports |
US9597554B2 (en) | 2013-08-07 | 2017-03-21 | Wilson Sporting Goods Co. | Racquet hit notification |
Citations (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4759219A (en) * | 1987-05-15 | 1988-07-26 | Swingspeed, Inc. | Swing parameter measurement system |
US6173610B1 (en) * | 1998-12-23 | 2001-01-16 | Robert L. Pace | Sports swing impact speed indicator |
US20020052246A1 (en) * | 1998-08-13 | 2002-05-02 | Thomas J Burke | Golf overswing alerting mechanism and golf club with overswing alerting mechanism |
US6441745B1 (en) * | 1999-03-22 | 2002-08-27 | Cassen L. Gates | Golf club swing path, speed and grip pressure monitor |
US6805005B1 (en) * | 2001-09-17 | 2004-10-19 | Juan C. Elizondo | Device for increasing and measuring the speed of a golf, tennis or batting swing |
US20060052173A1 (en) * | 2004-09-09 | 2006-03-09 | Telford Kenneth N | Portable swing speed analyzer |
US20060063600A1 (en) * | 2004-09-22 | 2006-03-23 | Grober Robert D | Golf swing tempo measurement system |
US20060287117A1 (en) * | 2005-05-27 | 2006-12-21 | Dilz Albert E Jr | Miniature radar for measuring club head speed and tempo |
US7235020B1 (en) * | 2007-02-09 | 2007-06-26 | Robert Christensen | Gold club speed indicator |
US7234351B2 (en) * | 2001-07-24 | 2007-06-26 | The Regents Of The University Of Michigan | Electronic measurement of the motion of a moving body of sports equipment |
US20070206837A1 (en) * | 2006-03-03 | 2007-09-06 | Kirby Richard A | Portable Swing Analyzer |
-
2007
- 2007-01-04 US US11/649,101 patent/US20080163697A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4759219A (en) * | 1987-05-15 | 1988-07-26 | Swingspeed, Inc. | Swing parameter measurement system |
US20020052246A1 (en) * | 1998-08-13 | 2002-05-02 | Thomas J Burke | Golf overswing alerting mechanism and golf club with overswing alerting mechanism |
US6413167B1 (en) * | 1998-08-13 | 2002-07-02 | Thomas J. Burke | Golf overswing alerting mechanism and golf club with overswing alerting mechanism |
US6173610B1 (en) * | 1998-12-23 | 2001-01-16 | Robert L. Pace | Sports swing impact speed indicator |
US6441745B1 (en) * | 1999-03-22 | 2002-08-27 | Cassen L. Gates | Golf club swing path, speed and grip pressure monitor |
US7234351B2 (en) * | 2001-07-24 | 2007-06-26 | The Regents Of The University Of Michigan | Electronic measurement of the motion of a moving body of sports equipment |
US6805005B1 (en) * | 2001-09-17 | 2004-10-19 | Juan C. Elizondo | Device for increasing and measuring the speed of a golf, tennis or batting swing |
US20060052173A1 (en) * | 2004-09-09 | 2006-03-09 | Telford Kenneth N | Portable swing speed analyzer |
US20060063600A1 (en) * | 2004-09-22 | 2006-03-23 | Grober Robert D | Golf swing tempo measurement system |
US20060287117A1 (en) * | 2005-05-27 | 2006-12-21 | Dilz Albert E Jr | Miniature radar for measuring club head speed and tempo |
US20070206837A1 (en) * | 2006-03-03 | 2007-09-06 | Kirby Richard A | Portable Swing Analyzer |
US7235020B1 (en) * | 2007-02-09 | 2007-06-26 | Robert Christensen | Gold club speed indicator |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20110183787A1 (en) * | 2009-09-25 | 2011-07-28 | Ralf Schwenger | Methods and apparatuses for enhancing performance in racket sports |
WO2011036567A3 (en) * | 2009-09-25 | 2011-08-11 | Head Technology Gmbh | Methods and apparatuses for enhancing performance in racket sports |
CN102686285A (en) * | 2009-09-25 | 2012-09-19 | 领先技术有限公司 | Methods and apparatuses for enhancing performance in racket sports |
US8602922B2 (en) | 2009-09-25 | 2013-12-10 | Head Technology Gmbh | Methods and apparatuses for enhancing performance in racket sports |
US9597554B2 (en) | 2013-08-07 | 2017-03-21 | Wilson Sporting Goods Co. | Racquet hit notification |
US10058734B2 (en) | 2013-08-07 | 2018-08-28 | Wilson Sporting Goods Co. | Racquet hit notification |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US11253767B2 (en) | System, method, and apparatus for monitoring sporting apparatus and users thereof | |
US6565449B2 (en) | Athletic ball impact measurement and display device | |
US9884233B2 (en) | Golf clubs and golf club heads having digital lie and/or other angle measuring equipment | |
KR100631035B1 (en) | swing training equipment in ball game sports | |
US7536033B2 (en) | Portable swing analyzer | |
US8052539B2 (en) | Swing performance analysis device | |
US6991552B2 (en) | Swing monitoring device | |
AU709678B2 (en) | Device for measuring at least one physical parameter relating to a propelled game ball | |
US6044704A (en) | Follow-through measuring device | |
US8137208B2 (en) | Automatic real-time game scoring device and golf club swing analyzer | |
US5688183A (en) | Velocity monitoring system for golf clubs | |
US7140248B1 (en) | Speed measuring device and method | |
JPH09215808A (en) | Practice device for swing type exercise tool, and swing type exercise tool | |
US20110021280A1 (en) | Hitting technique by identifying ball impact points | |
US20090143159A1 (en) | Strike force indicator | |
JP2013505761A (en) | Method and apparatus for enhancing racket sports performance | |
KR20150065431A (en) | Device for anlayzing movement of golf club | |
US20030017882A1 (en) | Sport apparatus with impact sensing and display | |
US20080163697A1 (en) | Swing speed indicator | |
US20230033421A1 (en) | Golf Ball Analytic Measurement Device and Method | |
US20220339495A1 (en) | Golf analysis device with calibration function | |
US20040014531A1 (en) | Device for training the correct swing for a club | |
JPS59194761A (en) | Hitting tool | |
TWI708627B (en) | Sensing and indicating device can be integrated or attached onto golf club | |
TWM581927U (en) | Sensing and indicating device can be integrated or attached onto golf club |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |